Ironmen suffer playoff defeat

That’s all the Nowata High School Ironmen football team can do — wait ‘til next year — after suffering a season-ending playoff defeat Saturday.

Oh. The Ironmen can do one other thing.

They can appreciate a remarkable season that witnessed a 10-1 record in the first 11 outings and carried them to the second round of the playoffs.

They nearly made the third round.

The host Meeker High School Bulldogs had to rally in the fourth quarter — grinding out a touchdown march on their final meaningful possession to blast ahead, 20-14.

Nowata (10-2) had one final opportunity to try to rescue the victory, but its drive stalled out and Meeker (12-0) ran out the clock to avoid the upset.

Nowata, which is coached by Matt Hagebusch, had led through most the second half, 14-12.

The Ironmen are 19-5 in the two seasons since Hagebusch took charge of the program, following an 0-10 mark in 2011.

Although he will bid good-bye to a sparkling collection of seniors — including versatile ballhandler extraordinaire Nate Moore and statewide-renown lineman Skylar Wood — Hagebusch will welcome back next season three-year starting quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald, leading rusher Cory Hobbs and several other talented warriors who will try to build on this year’s success.